Friday, October 31, 2014

It's that time of year again! I typically panic around this time because I always wanted a good, ol' Halloween storytime with an exciting atmosphere. Perhaps it's because my old library system had them. Anyway! This year I managed to pull off a homemade bat costume (I feel so crafty!). A couple of kids dressed up for the program, but most didn't, which was to be expected. The children enjoyed the program, but I'm still wanting to do more!

BOOKSGhosts in the House!written and illus. by Kazuno Kohara This is such a fun book! I love the limited use of colors, and the children really enjoyed it too. We all thought it was funny that the cat even had a witch cat costume!

Ten Little Mummies: An Egyptian Counting Bookwritten by Philip Yates and illus. by G. Brian Karas Ever since I saw Philip Yates speak over five years ago, I have always wanted to use this book! It was a good book for the group. Score!

Boo, Bunny! written by Kathryn O. Galbraith and illus. by Jeff MackThe children wanted to read this one, and so, obviously, I obliged. It's very simple, and you can totally embrace the emotions and sounds that you come across in the story.

ACTIVITIES Freeze Dance to the Monster Mash
Knowing the group that I get at this little library I needed something for them to do to get some of their wiggles out, especially since I didn't really have any action songs. So! I whipped out the handy dandy iPod and loaded the song The Monster Mash, and we all did a freeze dance. It would have been more fun if there were movement scarves, but, alas, I did not have any on hand. Next time!Skeleton Dress Up
See below for details.

The Haunted House
I made these many moons ago. If I remember correctly, I simply used Microsoft clip art to use as patterns for the each character. Even the witch, which I'm still impressed that I made - even if she is little ugly looking.

The Haunted House flannel board,
Created by Dorothy WP-CC, 2011

FLANNEL BOARD

Skeleton Dress Up
I made Sal, that's his name, by the way a few years back. To make a skeleton I found a cartoon template online and blue it up a
bit to make him about 18inches in height. His arms, skull, rib cage, and
legs are separate pieces, which allowed me more freedom if I ever
needed to have more fun. To make it exciting for the children I made
clothes and accessories for them to put on him. For a little more detail, check out my Flannel Friday postfor Sal.

For this group, I let everyone have a piece and asked them to come up based on color or by where one would typically wear an item of clothing. Here's what they came up with!

Sal dressed by Family Storytime children!, WPCC, 2014.

CRAFT Masking Tape Mummies
I found this craft on No Time for Flash Cards via Pinterest (Did I ever mention I love Pinterest???), and I have wanted to make this craft ever since. I followed the instructions pretty much to a T, and the children did a really good job at working with the masking tape and the safety scissors. Talk about letting the kids work on their fine motor skills.

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

I took this basic Pets theme and turned it into a humorous pet theme so that I could mix things up a bit. Though I did not have any special activities or flannel boards for this theme, which is a little unusual, the families did not notice and it was a good program!

BOOKSA Pet for Petuniawritten and illus. by Paul Schmid I loved this book, and you can totally act out Petunia's love and temper tantrum.

Pigeon Wants a Puppywritten and illus. by Mo Willems Seriously, how can you not read this book?

Me and My Dragonwritten and illus. by David Biedrzycki This was a good book, and the children liked it.

What Pet to Get?written and illus. by Emma Dodd Again, how do you not read this book? I love Emma Dodd!

Can You? follow the actions
Can you hop like a rabbit?
Can you jump like a frog?
Can you waddle like a duck? (farmers could have pet duck!)
Can you fly like a bird?
Can you swim like a fish?
Can you sit back down and be still like this?Other Animals
Can you slither like a snake?
Can you "hoo-hoo" like an owl?
Source: Library Storytime via Sunflower Storytime

If You're a Pet and You Know It
If you're a doggie and you know it,
Say, "Woof, woof."
If you're a doggie and you know it,
Say, "Woof, woof."
If you're a doggie and you know it,
And you really want to show it,
If you're a doggie and you know it,
Say, "Woof, woof."Repeat with kitty/meow, fishy/blub, hamster/run in place, bird/tweet
Source: Storytime with Miss Mollie

CRAFTPompom Pets
I wanted the children to have a "pet" so I decided to do the simple craft of a pompom pet. Simply get a good size pompom and glue googly eyes on to it. You can use felt to make teeth or a smile, but this time around I made even simpler by not having that option. The children loved it!

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Oh, clothes! What would we do without you??? For this storytime I went with some "go-to" books (hello, Pete the Cat and Froggy!) but also added in some that I have never read and wasn't quite sure on how they would be received by the families. Everything went swimmingly! I'm finally getting into the Family Storytime groove!

BOOKSPete the Cat: I Love My White Shoeswritten by Eric Litwin and illus. by James Dean
You can never go wrong with the this book! Most of the children were familiar with the story and song, but even then they all got into the groove and were bopping their head.

Froggy Gets Dressedwritten by Jonathan London and illus. by Frank Remkiewicz
A lot of the boys thought it was hilarious that Froggy had forgotten his underwear!

Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothingby written by Judi Barrett and illus. by Ron Barrett
This was a simple, silly, older book that one little girl loved!

Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressedwritten and illus. by Mo Willems
It took a couple of times to convince the children to listen to this story instead of moving on to our craft, but they finally wanted to read this book. It was fun, but I kept on remember the audiobook version where there was music playing at the very end. I need music!

Boots and Parka, Scarf and Hat tune: Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes(touch the areas that you wear these items of clothing!)
Boots and parka, scarf and hat (feet, arms, neck, and head)
Scarf and hat
Boots and parka, scarf and hat
Scarf and hat
In wintertime we dress like that!
Boots and parka, scarf and hat
Scarf and hat!
Source: Mel's Desk

If You're Wearing... Before starting the rhyme have the children survey what they are wearing. If a child is wearing the coloring, have them stand up and do the action.
If you're wearing red, shake your head
If you're wearing blue, touch your shoe
If you're wearing green, bow like a king or queen
If you're wearing yellow, shake like Jell-O
If you're wearing black, pat your back
If you're wearing brown, touch the grown
If you're wearing purple, turn around in a circleAsk the children to come up with other colors and actions Source: Modified from the song "If You're Wearing..." via SurLaLune Storytime

ACTIVITIES Matching Flannel Sock Game
See below for details!

FLANNEL BOARDS Matching Flannel Sock Game
I finally got to make a version of the Sorting Socks Game that I saw on Mary's blog Miss Mary Liberry) a while back. For a sock pattern I simply printed out a sock-shaped clip art from Word, then I got to work on making many, many pairs of socks. I also had time to make my own dryer, but it isn't as fancy has Mary's. The children LOVED pulling out a sock and matching the pairs. Of course, I made sure there was one sock that did not have a mate... so true to life.

CRAFT My Awesome Sweater Coloring Page
A lot of the crafts out there on the Interweb did not strike my interest or did I think my school-age children love it. So! Inspired by a burst of cooler weather in good, ol' Texas I created my own coloring sheet where the children had to design and color their own sweater pattern. I found the sweater image from Printable Coloring Pictures website that I copied over to a Publisher file where I added a page title and a space below that read "Designed by_______" so that the children could claim their fashion designer talent!

About Me

Salutations! I am the owner of The Wielded Pen. Educated in English and Children's Literature, I am an avid reader, an aspiring writer and artist, lover of travel, and, all-in-all, a Super Children's Librarian.